Referral Dives in Cozumel or at home?

[Jaeger62]

I'm having a hard time deciding between getting my full OW certification here at home before going to Cozumel or doing the referral program and doing my 4 OW dives in Cozumel on our vacation. Is it a lot better to show up to Coz certified and just go on dives?

There is some clear water I can do my certification here at home in February or March? Would that be too long of a gap between certification and my first ever dives outside of training?

 

[northernone]

I'm having a hard time deciding between getting my full OW certification here at home before going to Cozumel or doing the referral program and doing my 4 OW dives in Cozumel on our vacation. Is it a lot better to show up to Coz certified and just go on dives?

There is some clear water I can do my certification here at home in February or March? Would that be too long of a gap between certification and my first ever dives outside of training?

Depending on your vacation goals I might recommend arriving certified and simply enjoying the dive sites sights as a certified diver. As training dives you would generally be somewhat skill focused and you wouldn't enjoy the environment as much with working on mastery of the skills.

Your minimal skills should still be with you when you arrive, let the dive master or shop owner know you are inexperienced and they can keep an eye on you to make the dives even more comfortable.

You'll get recommendations both sides of this question. Makes sense why you are having a hard time deciding which is best.

I think you'll love it either way and with decades of diving ahead of you there's plenty of time.

Regards,
Cameron

 

[simcoediver]

If it is warm enough to do your OW dives at home then yes do them at home, that way you get to really enjoy cozumel fully and not worry about classes.

 

[Jaeger62]

I can do my certification dives before April in a spring fed lake, constant 72 degrees year round.

As far as vacation goals, I would want to do some morning dives while my wife sleeps in and does some work on the computer that she has to get in.

So I can either do 4 OW certification dives in 2 mornings, or spend 2 or 3 mornings doing 2 tank dives with a shop.

 

[simcoediver]

For sure then do your OW at home! you are lucky you can do that. In Canada or northern U.S. in winter you would have no choice but to go south to do an OW referral.
Enjoy Cozumel ,you will love it.

 

[Jaeger62]

Here's where I could do my OW dives here at home.

 

[uncfnp]

Since its a good option, do them at home. The more dives and training under your weight belt before your trip, the more you will enjoy Cozumel. In a way your first dives in Cozumel will be training dives as well. Boat, waves, current... have the basics done so you can focus on the diving and beauty of Cozumel.

 

[Ron Lee]

If you only dive three days then two of those days are doing the cert dives. I would prefer three days of diving as a certified diver.

 

[Ron Lee]

You are not clear on when you are going to Cozumel versus training cert dives.

You can always do a refresher with an instructor a few weeks before your Cozumel trip. Maybe even do a refresher in Cozumel a day before your boat dives. You can then spend the rest of the day exploring Cozumel with your wife.

Next day....dive as a certified diver. More freedom. It would not hurt to hire a private divemaster your first day to teach you how to drift dive, better improve your buoyancy, etc.

 

[ggunn]

I'm having a hard time deciding between getting my full OW certification here at home before going to Cozumel or doing the referral program and doing my 4 OW dives in Cozumel on our vacation. Is it a lot better to show up to Coz certified and just go on dives?

There is some clear water I can do my certification here at home in February or March? Would that be too long of a gap between certification and my first ever dives outside of training?

I will also weigh in on the side of doing them at home. Another reason in addition to the others that have been said is that if you do your OW dives in less ideal conditions your comfort zone will be a little wider than it would be if you did them in Cozumel.